Rescue
by Silverpistola
Summary: Zelda is left heartbroken and devastated when she's stood up. There's only one person who can rescue her. Oneshot. AU, Zelink.


A/N: As promised, a little one-shot for y'all. No idea where this idea came from, but I ran with it. The first part (in italics) is from Link's POV and then it's Zelda's POV for the rest.

Please review, as always!

Silverpistola

* * *

_I stared up at the sky. I could feel the warmth from the bonnet of my car through my t-shirt. It was a cool night, and the breeze whipped goose bumps along my bare arms. _

_I'd been cold for days. _

_I sighed, curling my hands into fists. Even here, I could find no peace. I closed my eyes and imagined her, dancing in the arms of another. Gah, why was I torturing myself like this? Why couldn't I fight for her?_

_The buzzing of my phone brought me back to earth. I looked at the screen. It was her. Something was wrong. Why was she calling me?_

"_Link?" Her voice was thick with tears. _

"_Zel', are you okay?" I asked, sitting up._

"_Will you… come for me?"_

* * *

I wrapped my arms around myself. I felt so numb. I could have walked home, but I couldn't bear having to explain what had happened. So I'd called him.

"He'll be here soon," I whispered to myself, soothingly.

I'd watched the sky grow dark. I'd watched the world grow tired. I'd cried and no one had come.

The car pulled up at the curb and he emerged, quickly. His hair was tousled and his t-shirt had more than one hole in it. His jeans were ripped at the knees and his eyes were so kind.

He paused, hesitantly, before approaching me. I'd called and he'd rushed to my aid. Just when the world seemed so dark.

I took a step and leaned on him, closing my eyes and listening to the steady beat of his heart. He rested his hands on my shoulders and we stood like that for an eternity. I wondered how long we'd have to wait before we turned to stone; a statue for everyone to look at.

'_Perhaps they are lovers?'_ People would wonder, before passing by quickly.

'_Why is she crying?_' Others would ask themselves.

'_Did he make it in time?_'

* * *

The waitress slid the hot chocolate onto the tabletop and I wrapped my hands around the warm mug. I didn't dare look up at him. The dark of the night was so thick, the lights inside the café were struggling to keep it outside. My angel wings were lopsided and the white gown I'd been so proud of only hours before was creased and damp. Was my hair still in curls, or had they given in to gravity hours ago? I stared into the impenetrable depths of the chocolate, watching the steam rise from the mug in delicate swirls.

He stirred his tea, straining the bag so meticulously, before adding copious amounts of milk and a quick dash of honey. I didn't know he had a sweet tooth.

It should have felt surreal, sitting in an all-night café at one am watching Link Hero drink tea. Someone in the kitchen was listening to the blues; strains of the twangy guitar drifted past me. The faux leather of the seats was bright blue and it hurt my eyes to look at it. So instead I looked at him.

And had to bite back tears.

"How long did you wait?" He asked.

I smiled, weakly. "Too long."

His eyes did not express the sympathy I was expecting, but rather a flicker of anger. Inwardly, I flinched.

"You look…" He sighed. "Zelda, why did you wait so long?"

I swallowed. "I don't know. I guess I just hoped… that it might not be what I knew it was."

His hands curled into fists. Why was he so angry?

"I can't stand to see you like this. So… disappointed."

I drank deep, the sweet chocolate warming me from the inside. It used to be that chocolate could fix anything.

"I'm okay really. I just feel," I paused as he gazed at me, imploringly, "stupid."

He shook his head. "You look… beautiful." He whispered it, like a secret. "Like a Princess in a tragic story."

He had to be lying to comfort me, I knew, but there was a strange sincerity in his voice. Link never lied.

"I don't feel beautiful," I confessed.

"You are," he murmured, bitterly, more to himself than me.

I reached for his hand. His skin was ice cold and I gasped at the contact.

"You're so cold!"

He pulled away, shaking his head. "Why did you go tonight Zelda? What are you looking for?"

I remembered the way it had felt to have been asked to the party. To tell people that I had a date. To get all dressed up and look in the mirror and feel special.

How could I feel so awful now? How could things have changed so quickly?

"I want…I want to be someone's first choice," I cried, feeling the emotion of the night rushing back to me at full speed. "Just for once, I want someone to look at me and want me."

Link's brow furrowed and he frowned. "_Someone_?! You would settle for anyone? How can you sell yourself so short?"

I glared at him through the tears that blurring my vision.

"I wasn't exactly enamoured with offers before this. Who else would have taken me to the party?"

"I would have," he exclaimed, angrily, banging his fist on the table. The few other people in the café were glancing in our direction, but Link didn't seem to care. "I would have asked you, but I suppose I could never surpass the offer of the one you love. Still, at the least, I wouldn't have stood you up!"

His words struck me like a blow to my already fragile ego. Silence reigned and Link seemed unable to look at me, instead hunching his body over his drink.

"Why… didn't you ask me?" I whispered, after what felt like an eternity.

"I was too late," he answered, flatly. "My courage failed me. And before I could try again it was too late."

"Why would you ask me at all?"

He shook his head. "Dammnit Zelda, don't make me do this, okay? Just forget it."

"I can't."

He sighed. "I know you better than anyone. I know you've never even looked at me like I look at you now."

I blinked, peering into his eyes. They were the same blue eyes I'd known forever.

"I could try," I suggested, timidly.

"No. Zelda, I'm no Marth. I'm no one. I know that. But to hear it from you might be the end of me. So don't."

He was right. He wasn't Marth. Because Marth had hurt me and Link couldn't. I thought I'd called him because I had no one else, but that wasn't true. I'd called Link because I needed him, I needed his kindness.

I cocked my head to one side. His dark blonde locks were still messy, pieces falling into his shadowed cerulean eyes. Right now, his handsome face was set in an expression of such acute sadness, I could hardly bear to look at him. But, as he had told me, in sadness he was somehow even more beautiful.

I placed my hand over his. His skin was still so cold, as though his blood had frozen in his veins. He still didn't look at me.

"No one deserves you, Link. Not even me. You're far too good."

He reached out, slowly, and his other hand found mine. He held onto me, tightly, allowing warmth to flow from my hands into his.

"Would you wait for me, Zelda?"

I nodded.

"How long?"

"As long as it took. Because… I know you'd come. Eventually."

His lips curled upwards in a secret smile.

"Am I still waiting, Zelda?" He asked, looking back at me.

I closed my eyes. I felt as though a part of me had been unlocked unleashing something that could overpower every other feeling inside of me. Marth's rejection. My own feeling of worthlessness. It was like a great wave had swept them both away and left me clean and shivering. I was floating away from everything, with only Link's hands to keep me from drifting away.

I tightened my grip and he stroked the back of my palms with his thumbs.

"No." I opened my eyes. "I'm here."

His face was so serious as he exhaled, deeply. "Good. Because… I sorta…love you."

I smiled. How had I thought I could never smile again? But here I was, smiling, like nothing had ever happened. Maybe it hadn't. Maybe everything had been a road leading me here. To rescue.


End file.
